An artist coming into his own

Honestly, this is how you set the tone for the rest of your career. Ray Vaughn has managed to not only take everything he’s learned from his peers at TDE and apply it, but he’s managed to find it within himself to really expand on who he is as a man. You can see it reflect within his music. From the tough look back at his past to the bouts of situational trauma, this is an album that not only people can relate to, but also sympathize as well.

The piano heavy intro sets the tone for potential interludes and a look back at the issues that Ray has faced coming up. Because he’s got a different style than most other West Coast Artists, it’s very clean of him to blend in those softer sounds in the production to bring home the heavy lyrical tracks such as “DOLLAR menu”. Now the production is very solid. A few beat switches, nice drums, seamless transitions, it feels like every track has a specific purpose and conveys a different message for the listener.

Now the feature list is insane. Jay Rock, Isaiah Rashad, Samara Cyn and LaRussell are just a few of the artists who not only deliver quality verses, but allow Ray to shine. Even more so with the way they’re able to bounce the flows and styles off one another for the tracks.

This album is a great listen from top to bottom. Plenty of relatable songs for those who’ve struggled with having sleep for dinner as well as those who’ve had to pee in a cup for a family member so they’ve passed a drug test. The flow, storytelling and overall sound is amazing and this is definitely his best work to date.

Standout Tracks: 3PM @ DAIRY, EAST CHATT, JANKY moral COMPASS

Album Rating: 👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑 (9.5/10)